WEV sensa­tion­ally hand Sharks Gmunden their first defeat of the season – ATSE rout Maribor

ATSE GrazATSE Grazhosted HDK Maribor in the Styrian derby between partner cities on the fourth Sunday of Advent in the Eastern Division. Graz took the lead after 42 seconds: Cornelius Kaschnig won a face-off and played the puck across to Luca Rodiga, who scored from close range for 1:0 (1nd minute).

Exactly 16 seconds later, it was 1:1 as Maribor forward Danilo Tomašević entered the attacking zone down the left and beat ATSE netminder Florian Zeugswetter with a superb backhand lift for 1:1 (1st minute). Graz were then unable to convert their first power play, but carried that momentum forward and remained on top. Emotions flared for the first time towards the end of the opening period, with ATSE unable to make use of another power play.

In the second period, Eggenberg had to kill off two penalties, but the Slovenian Foxes were not clever enough in this phase and failed to test goaltender Zeugswetter. ATSE were more efficient in front of the opposition net: Mathias Werkl played the puck across to Maximilian Schwarz, who scored for 2:1 (29th minute). A few more pleasantries were then exchanged. Once tempers had calmed down again, Filip Matijević capitalised on a Maribor misplaced pass to make it 3:1 for Graz (36th minute).

Maribor then weakened themselves through indiscipline. After diving, Aljaž Ribič lightly checked a linesman and was handed a game misconduct in addition to a two-minute penalty. The hosts had a 5:3 advantage, with Maximilian Schwarz hammering the puck into the net for 4:1 (39th minute). Soon afterwards, Maribor forward Jan Bizjak also received a game misconduct. Matthias Kaltenegger made it 5:1 with a fine shot (40th minute). In the final period, Maximilian Hohl was perfectly positioned in the slot and added ATSE's 6:1 (48th minute).

Shortly afterwards, Nikolaus Zierer deflected a shot to make it 7:1 (50th minute). Exactly five minutes from the end, Cornelius Kaschnig increased Graz's lead to 8:1 (56th minute). Just 17 seconds later, the Maribor net was rattled again as Filip Matijević converted from close range for 9:1 (56th minute). Clemens Lennkh made the score double figures for the hosts from the slot with 10:1, 56 seconds before the end (60th minute). Following this rout, ATSE raised their points tally to 14 and can gradually begin planning for the playoffs.

WEV claim impressive win at Sharks Gmunden

League leaders UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmundenfaced the Wiener Eislauf-Vereinon Sunday in the Eastern Division, in the final Ö Eishockey Liga game before Christmas. Both teams contested a fiercely fought duel from the outset. Vienna had their first power-play opportunity after almost five minutes but failed to find the net. The Sharks also failed to convert their first power play.

Both netminders – Tobias Windhofer for Sharks Gmunden and Moritz Merkader for WEV – kept clean sheets in the opening period. The first disagreements were also exchanged, and Upper Austria had a power play towards the end, but no goals were scored before the first siren.   

The second period began with two consecutive WEV power plays, but the offensive special teams struggled to turn their numerical advantages into goals. At first, the penalty killing worked perfectly at both ends. Theodor Fichtinger therefore put WEV 1:0 ahead at five-on-five (26th minute).

Shortly after taking the lead, Vienna's Jan Billa received a five-minute major plus game misconduct. The visitors survived this tricky phase and struck again shortly before the end of the period: Andre Paule scored WEV's 2:0 17 seconds before the second siren (40th minute).

The capital side took a 5:3 advantage into the final period and made perfect use of the situation: Patrick Bolterle made it 3:0 after just 39 seconds (41st minute). A little more than three minutes later, WEV were 4:0 ahead as Lukas Kaider beat Gmunden netminder Tobias Windhofer (45th minute).

Vienna gave nothing away in the end, with netminder Moritz Merkader recording a shutout. With their third consecutive victory, Head Coach Philipp Ullrich's team ended the defending champions' nine-game winning streak and gave themselves a fine Christmas present in the form of three points.

Ö Eishockey Liga – EASTERN Division:

ATSE Graz vs. HDK Maribor 10:1 (1:1,4:0,5:0)
Sun, 21 December 2025, 17:30, Graz Merkur Eisstadion (Hall A)
ATSE Graz scorers: Luca Rodiga (00:42), Maximilian Schwarz (28:54, 38:12/PP2), Filip Matijević (35:42, 55:17), Matthias Kaltenegger (39:24), Maximilian Hohl (47:31), Nikolaus Zierer (49:21), Cornelius Kaschnig (55:00), Clemens Lennkh (59:04)
HDK Maribor goalscorer: Danilo Tomašević (00:58)

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden vs. Wiener Eislauf-Verein 0:4 (0:0,0:2,0:2)
Sun, 21 December 2025, 18:30, muki Arena Gmunden
Wiener Eislauf-Verein goalscorers: Theodor Fichtinger (25:23), Andre Paule (39:43), Patrick Bolterle (40:39/PP2), Lukas Kaider (44:01)

KSV Kängurus have a bye.

HDK Maribor vs. KSV Kängurus 2:4 (1:0,0:3,1:1)
Sat, 20 December 2025, 18:30, Ledna dvorana Maribor
HDK Maribor goalscorers: Rene Zernko (18:53), Adi Drnda (57:12/PP1)
KSV Kängurus goalscorers: Lukas Draschkowitz (24:21, 30:36), Pierre Graf (25:06), Stefan Trost (59:34/EN)

Wiener Eislauf-Verein vs. ATSE Graz 3:2 (3:1,0:1,0:0)
Sat, 20 December 2025, 19:00, WEV Arena Heumarkt
Wiener Eislauf-Verein goalscorers: Patrick Bolterle (04:21), Lukas Pohl (08:14), Daniel Aschauer (16:04/PP1)
ATSE Graz goalscorers: Cornelius Kaschnig (11:49), Cory Krenz (27:47)

UEHV CAM4DENT Sharks Gmunden have a bye.

Ö Eishockey Liga - Division West:

EHC Lustenau vs. HC Kufstein 4:2 (1:2,3:0,0:0)
Sat., 20 December 2025, 17:30, Rheinhalle Lustenau
EHC Lustenau scorers: Christopher D’Alvise (09:53 min, 39:02 min), Manuel Metzler (20:10 min), David Slivnik (20:53 min)
HC Kufstein scorers: Valentin Hammerle (04:33 min), Aleksi Airaksinen (16:01 min)

SC Samina Hohenems vs. WSG Swarovski Wattens Penguins 3:5 (1:2,2:2,0:1)
Sat., 20 December 2025, 17:30, Eisstadion Hohenems
SC Hohenems scorers: Ricards Purins (04:56 min), Julian Payr (27:37 min), Christian Haidinger (29:01 min)
Wattens Penguins scorers: Simon Gratzer (12:10 min), Luca Venier (16:17 min), Sandro Wille (25:48 min/PP1, 59:55 min/EN), Noah Polig (34:18 min)

EHC Kundl vs. Dornbirner EC Bulldogs 3:1 (1:1,1:0,1:0)
Sat., 20 December 2025, 17:30, Eisarena Kundl
EHC Kundl scorers: Raphael Bruimann (19:04 min, 22:14 min/PP1), Simon Brandner (46:44 min)
Dornbirner EC scorer: Sven Vugrinec (18:21 min/PP1)

Further article:

Strong away win for Wattens Penguins at SC Hohenems – WEV battle past ATSE Graz

Ö Eishockey Liga format 2025/2026

The Ö Eishockey Liga began the new season with the opening matchday on 4 October 2025. In its fifth year, the format will see a change in Phase 1 across the two divisions: West, with six teams, and East, with five teams. In the East Division, the coming season will feature two and a half home-and-away rounds, resulting in 20 games per team. In the West Division, as in the previous season, two home-and-away rounds will be played, likewise resulting in 20 games per team.

After Phase 1, an inter-regional play-off will once again take place, beginning with the quarter-finals on 07 February 2026. In the coming season, a play-off pick after the regular season will again provide additional excitement. The highest-placed team in each of the West and East Divisions may select its quarter-final opponent from the team placed third or fourth in the other division. From the quarter-finals through the semi-finals to the final, the play-off match-ups will each be decided in a best-of-three series (H/A/H) from the coming season onwards.

All Ö Eishockey Liga standings, statistics and fixtures in the Gamecenter

Follow the Ö Eishockey Liga on Instagram and Facebook!